Natural Enemies of Insect Pests in Neotropical Agroecosystems by Brígida Souza & Luis L. Vázquez & Rosangela C. Marucci

Author:Brígida Souza & Luis L. Vázquez & Rosangela C. Marucci
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9783030247331
Publisher: Springer International Publishing

23.2.2 Cochineals

Cochineals belonging to several families, especially Coccidae, Pseudococcidae, and Diaspididae, occur naturally in coffee plants in tropical regions (Costa et al. 2009, 2016; Fornazier et al. 2017; Santa-Cecília et al. 2017) and oftentimes cause significant damages. These insects occur in branches, leaves, flowers, fruits, and root system of the plant, and the damages may vary according to the cultivar, location, crop system, climate conditions, crop management, and associated and interrow plants.

When referring to natural enemies of cochineals, it must be considered that several species produce a waxy shell that protects them; others produce a whitish secretion with the same purpose. Insects that feed on cochineals find these characteristics as barriers; however, the ladybugs Azya luteipes Mulsant, Pentilia egena Mulsant, Coccidophilus citricola Brèthes, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant, Hyperaspis sp., Scymnus sp. and Calloeneis sp. (Coccinellidae), C. externa, and Ceraeochrysa cubana (Hagen) (Chrysopidae) are mentioned as the most important predators of nymphs and adults (Santa-Cecília et al. 2007; Costa et al. 2009, 2014).

One of the most common coccinellids in coffee crops in Brazil is A. luteipes, which is found in every coffee-producing region. In Rondônia state, for example, larvae and adults of this ladybug were observed predating C. viridis and Planococcus citri (Risso) (Pseudococcidae) in Conillon coffee plants (Costa et al. 2014). Also in Rondônia, the following parasitoids of P. citri were registered: Leptomastix dactylopii Howard, Aphycus alboclavatus Ishii, Anagyrus pseudococci (Girault), Anagyrus coccidovorus Dozier, Leptomastidea abnormis (Girault) (Encyrtidae), Apanteles paraguayensis Brèthes (Braconidae), Coccophagus caridei (Brèthes) (Aphelinidae), Chartocerus niger (Ashmead) [= Thysanus niger (Ashmead)] (Signiphoridae), and Pachyneuron sp. (Pteromalidae).

Research on the antagonism and dominance between the ladybug Azya orbigera Mulsant and the fungus Lecanicillium lecanii (Zimmermann) R. Zare & W. Gams (= Verticillium lecanii) on the green coffee scale, C. viridis, in organic coffee in Chiapas, Mexico, showed that fungal infection was reduced in presence of the coccinellid and that simultaneous occurrence of both natural enemies favors the biological control only when the predator is dominant (Ong and Vandermeer 2014).

Beside L. lecanii, other infectious entomopathogenic fungi of scale insects are Uredinella sp. and Myriangium duriaei Mont. & Berk., which, in addition to occurring in coffee, are associated with the same insect pests in citrus crops. Species of Coccus genus are also parasitized by Acrostalagmus albus Preuss [= Verticillium album (Preuss) Pidopl.]. The mealybugs Planococcus spp. can be infected by L. lecanii and Neozygites fumosa (Speare) Remaud. & S. Keller (= Empusa fumosa Speare) (Costa et al. 2009). The fungi Fusarium coccophilum (Desm.) Wollenw. & Reink, Tetracrium cocciolum Hönell, Aschersonia sp., M. duriaei, and L. lecanii are mentioned infecting the diaspidid Pinnaspis aspidistrae (Signoret), which occurs in coffee plants and citrus (Prade et al. 2007).

Fungi and nematodes highlight among the natural enemies of cochineals that occur in the root system of the coffee plant. For the former, Beauveria bassiana (Bals.-Criv.) Vuill., Metarhizium anisopliae (Metchnikoff) Sorokin, L. lecanii, and Paecilomyces sp. are mentioned. The most important nematodes belong the families Steinernematidae and Heterorhabditidae, from which Heterorhabditis sp. and Steinernema carpocapsae (Weiser) stand out as the most efficient ones in the control of these insects in coffee roots (Santa-Cecília et al.

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